Working conditions on construction sites are always shifting. These conditions can change daily, even hourly. Although the construction industry is regulated by safety codes and laws by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to keep worksites, and more importantly workers, safe, many accidents still occur.
Every year thousands of worker fatalities occur in the private industry. In 2018, 4,779 workers were killed while on the job, of which 1,008 were in the construction industry; construction accidents accounting for one in five worker deaths. These deaths are often caused by one of four accidents, of which OSHA has dubbed “The Fatal Four”.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), “The Fatal Four” accidents in construction are responsible for over 58% of deaths. These include:
- Falls – Of the 1,008 construction deaths in 2018, 338 (33.5%) involved falls. Fall hazards are everywhere on construction sites and common fall hazards include the following: improperly constructed/guarded scaffolding, defective or improperly used ladders, debris and tripping hazards, slick surfaces, unguarded elevator shafts, skylights, or ledges, and unmarked trenches and excavation sites.
- Struck by an object – When an object falls, it quickly picks up speed and can cause severe injuries or death to anyone in the object’s path. In 2018, 112 fatal accidents involved a worker being struck by a falling object most commonly due to improperly rigged crane loads, working materials that are improperly stacked, and unsecured tools such as hammers or tape measures.
- Electrocution – Electrocutions accounted for 86 deaths in 2018 or 8.5% of construction worker fatalities. While most of these deaths occur to electrical workers, non-electricians can also be injured on job sites when coming into contact with overhead or underground power lines, direct contact with a live power source, live equipment, and wiring.
- Caught in/between – This category includes construction workers that are killed when they are caught in, between, or compressed by equipment or objects, as well as those that are stuck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structures, equipment, or materials. The three primary hazards identified by OSHA in these types of accidents include the following: trench cave-ins, being pulled into machinery, and being compressed between moving objects. Caught in/between accidents accounted for 55 worker deaths in 2018 or 5.5%.
In addition to “The Fatal Four”, OSHA frequently cites for standards violations that can lead to accidents which include the following:
- Fall protection, construction
- Hazard communication standard, general industry
- Scaffolding, general requirements, construction
- Respiratory protection, general industry
- Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry
- Ladders, construction
- Powered industrial trucks, general industry
- Fall Protection–Training Requirements
- Machinery and Machine Guarding, general requirements
- Eye and Face Protection
A construction site can be a dangerous place if employers do not take the time to ensure that their employees are thoroughly trained on how to prevent injuries and accidents, or an employer cuts corners to get the job done quickly and under budget.
The causes of construction site accidents are numerous, and the results are often devastating. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to negligence on the job site or a defective product, an experienced personal injury lawyer can review your claim and determine if there were unsafe working conditions, potential OSHA violations, and other hazards that may have existed at the time of your accident. They will also determine who may be liable for your injuries and damages and what compensation you may be entitled to.
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